


Patronus

by DorthyAnn (JenniferMarie)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Patronus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 03:59:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11478165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenniferMarie/pseuds/DorthyAnn
Summary: Draco's been practising his Patronus in secret. When he finally succeeds, it turns out to be an animal he could have never expected.





	Patronus

Harry held out his hand, “Start over?” he was smiling hesitantly, his eyes showing his worry. Draco took his hand, it was larger than he thought it would be, dry and calloused like a labourer rather than a wizard. Harry’s grip was firm and his smile grew more certain and hopeful. After the first failed handshake, Draco had never allowed himself to think Harry would ever look at him like that.

Draco remembered the hope, the warm flutter of nerves that would bloom into happiness over time, “ _Expecto Patronum._ ” he held his breath as he opened his eyes, half expecting to see flesh-eating slugs spilling from his wand. Instead, he saw a thin silvery mist, stretching and curling around him even as it slowly began to dissipate.

His breath caught in excitement. Perhaps he could. Perhaps he might be worthy after all.

Draco took a deep breath, he glanced at the closed door of the empty room he was practising in to make sure it was still closed. He really didn’t want anyone walking in on him in case he failed, or ended up with a terribly embarrassing patronus.

He closed his eyes. Harry asking him for potions help in exchange for defence help. The two of them studying together, practising together and learning how to share each other’s space, learning how to laugh together.

“ _Expecto Patronum._ ”

The silvery mist began to take a vague shape; tall, with four legs and a long neck before it dissolved back into nothing. It had reminded Draco of a horse, though not quite. He remembered that Harry had a stag patronus and a startled nervous laugh bubbled out of him. He clapped his hand over his mouth, doubly glad no one was here.

He shook the idea off and straightened his back, correcting his wand grip absentmindedly before he tried again.

Draco sorted through his memories, looking for something even happier, preferably without Harry. He had very few that matched up though. This last year at Hogwarts had been both trying and, at the same time, the happiest of his life. All because Harry offered his friendship at the start of term.

So he remembered how last week he couldn’t sleep and Harry had found him in the common room, inviting Draco to walk around the castle with him. They had weaved through the dark empty hallways and outside where the moon was waning but bright. Neither of them had spoken. They had learned how to share silences too.

They had laid on the cool grass sloping down to the lake, its water reflecting the sky like a mirror of black ink. Harry had shifted so they pressed together shoulder to elbow and Draco had wanted so desperately to lower his hand between them to see if Harry’s hand might be there, might take his. He had never drawn up the nerve but he still dreamed of that warmth along his arm, simple and meaningless as it was, he remembered with such clarity his heart began to pound in his chest all over again.

“ _Expecto Patronum._ ”

The silver mist leapt from his wand with long thin cloven hooves, a thin back, and a long arching neck as it raised its head and opened a sharp-beaked mouth and then spread its massive bat-like wings, the membranes so thin they were nearly transparent. The thestral stomped silently on the dusty stones, turning its head towards him.

Draco stared open mouthed.

He wasn’t sure he had ever seen anything so beautiful before. Thestrals were strange and wonderful. He had developed a strange attachment to them after the war, feeling equally fond and frighted by them. He even helped Luna feed the herd out in the forest; always keeping his distance, flinching when they got too close which amused both Luna and the magical beasts.

This thestral,  _his_  thestral, in shimmering silvery white looked… ethereal and divine, something shaped by the hands of gods to pull the chariot of the sun across the world. The thestral tossed it’s head as if it could hear his meandering thoughts and didn’t approve. He cracked a grin.

When the patronus faded, he cast it again. It was even brighter and stronger the second time. Draco didn’t think he would ever get tired of seeing it. A large patronus like Harry’s stag or Ginevra’s horse was uncommon. Having a magical creature for a patronus was rare, terribly rare.

Draco felt smug about that.

He was also certain he’d never show it to anyone else.

A great many people would be angry, angry that he could even cast a patronus, angry that it was special, and angry because it was a thestral. They were still misunderstood, still regarded by many witches and wizards as symbols of death and misfortune.

He reached out, his fingers passing through the cold silvery shape. But he could cast it when he was alone.  He could cast it to protect him from the darkness.

* * *

  
  


Draco was pretending to read at a table to the side of the great hall. He often pretended to read while Harry held his defence club. It was based on the one he had set up in fifth year before Draco had ruined it. He regretted that in retrospect but he regretted a lot of things in retrospect.

The new club was set up so fifth, sixth and seventh years could get together and practice for their upcoming exams. Quite a lot of charms practice snuck into the mix as well, although Harry wasn’t interested in that in the least. It was always amusing to watch Harry sigh, his shoulders slumping when the group got distracted by charms talk.

Harry had tried to talk him into participating but Draco knew better than to tempt his fellow students with the chance to hit him with a few  _accidental_  spells. Not that they would have, Harry was the only student who could duel him with any semblance of skill. They were fairly evenly matched but only because Harry couldn’t consistently cast wordlessly and relied on shields rather than more efficient counter-spells. He was learning though. Annoyed at the thought, Draco frowned.

The club was winding down, people were chatting rather than practising. A few had already grabbed their bags. Hermione, Weasley, Ginevra and Luna were all talking together, sitting on top of the teacher’s table without a single sign of anxiety that they might be told off for doing so.

A group of fifth years approached Harry. Draco didn’t hear what they said, though it was easy to see it was a request and he thought he might have heard the word patronus.

Draco felt a shiver make its way down his spine. It had been three months since he had first managed to cast his own. He must have cast it hundreds of time since. He dropped his head, making a show of putting his book away while keeping one ear turned towards the excitement.

They had gone from asking Harry to show them his patronus to practically begging. Harry’s friends were standing back a bit and snickering at his discomfort.

“I haven’t really cast a patronus since the war,” Harry said, trying to duck out of the request.

The rest of the room had picked up on what was happening and it seemed everyone was turning to Harry with interest. The begging went up an octave turning into whining.

“Might as well now, mate!” Weasely laughed.

Draco had his bag strap halfway up to his shoulder, but paused to watch.

Harry drew his wand with a beleaguered sigh. He barely hesitated before he cast, his wand tip circling with easy precision, his mouth quirking up in a smile with a clear, “ _Expecto Patronum._ ”

The silver shape of his patronus bounded from Harry’s wand already half formed. But instead of the expected antlers, there were wings, massive and bat-like, the webbing nearly transparent as the thestral stretched them high and wide as if poised to take flight.

Gasps circled the room followed by a flurry of whispers.

Draco’s bag fell from nerveless fingers.

“It’s not- That’s not-! ” Weasley rubbed his eyes

“It’s changed…” Hermione said breathlessly, “It happens sometimes, after- after a life changing event.”

“Or you fall in love,” Luna said airily leaning against Ginerva’s shoulder.

Ginevra gasped, “Who’d you fall for, Harry?”

Draco looked down at his hands, his face feeling so hot he almost couldn’t stand it. His heart was beating so hard he thought he might die.

A large patronus was uncommon. A magical creature patronus was rare.

It couldn’t be a coincidence.

It  _couldn’t_  be.

He looked up as Harry looked away and back at his friends; nodding absently to Hermione’s patronus history lesson, ignoring Ginerva’s prodding.

Draco eased his wand out of his sleeve, rolling the smooth wood over his fingers. He slowly licked his lips, knowing his hands were shaking, he wasn’t sure his voice would even come out.

It was an awful idea. It was bold and defiant and not like him at all. He would be making a declaration to the world. He would be telling everyone Harry was his and his alone.

They hadn’t even held hands.

Draco didn’t need to think of a happy memory. This moment was all he needed.

“ _Expecto Patronum_ ,” he whispered.

Silver spilt from his wand touching the ground with delicate hooves like Draco had poured it from mercury, its shape growing more distinct as it emerged, stepping away from Draco. His thestral crossed the floor in silent fluid steps, approaching its mirror. Harry’s thestral moved to meet it, their sharp dragonlike muzzles brushed and they both raised their wings until the edges touched, shrouding them behind a silvery gossamer curtain.

Draco felt transfixed by the sight. He had seen it many times before in the herd between bonded thestrals.

He tore his eyes away at the sound of a clatter, finding Harry pushing through the shocked students, tripping and nearly falling in his haste. He only paused when his eyes locked on Draco and then he ran and Draco managed to grab hold of Harry’s shoulders so they didn’t both fall and Harry’s arms circled his waist. He could feel Harry laughing breathlessly against his neck in huffs of warm air.

“You can cast a patronus,” Harry said.

It wasn’t a question but Draco answered it anyway,  his voice caught at a whisper, “Yes.”

“We haven’t even kissed,” Harry said, “but I feel like you just proposed to me.”

Draco didn’t know what kind of proposal Harry meant and he didn’t care, he would take any of them, all of them, “I would not be opposed,” he said, daring a hesitant smile.

Harry smiled, squeezing Draco even tighter in his arms and kissed him.

  
  



End file.
